My first old gun.....Spanish Mauser Info Needed

Ok guys, this is my very first old gun and I have no idea about the infamous "Mauser".

After a little research I am under the impression this is a Spanish Mauser........... 1893 small ring Spanish Calvalry rifle. I based this on what was stamped on the barrel (Oviedo Spain ?M19? Samco MIA FL 308W)

The only issue the gun has (besides age) is that when you engage the safety and pull the trigger.....when you try to disengage the safety it fires the hammer, thus could cause a huge problem if there is a round in the chamber. The previous owner thought it might have something to do with the previous/previous owner trying to lighten the trigger pull. I honestly have no idea.

Now I know the gun really have no real value to it...or per the sources of information lead me to believe. So, I may redo it by doing a cheap Cerakote finish on the metal and refinishing the wood.

Do you guys have any ideas or information that will help me with this gun?

If my memory is correct, you do indeed have a Spanish Mauser. It's a "95 action and not a "98 action. It's not as strong as the "98 action, and is chambered for a cartridge that has all the physical characteristics of a 308WCF/7.62x51 cartridge, but is loaded to lower pressures. These rifles were issued to the Spanish Civil Guard (similar to our National Guard) as second line defensive weapons, and not for front line troop usage. It sounds like someone has been messing with the trigger as you described. Replacement parts are available, or an aftermarket trigger like a Timney, Dayton Traister (I think thet're still in business) could be used instead.

those who beat their guns into plowshares, will plow for those who didn't

What you have there is one of the sweetest little carbines ever made. Looks to be a Spanish M93 Carbine to me. Hope Snakedriver responds with a picture of his. Great rifles as made. Hopefully yours is still in the 7X57mm Mauser caliber, because some were re-bored to fire 7.62 (.308 Winchester), and that's not a great idea because they were originally made to fire ammo in the 45,000 psi pressure range. Not safe in my humble opinion due to the 2 forward locking lugs on the bolt.

You could re-stock it and still have a short, light wieght rifle. I believe that Gunparts Inc. (West Hurley, New York) still has the stock, handguard and handguard ring you would need to do that. The metal looks in very good condition from the pics. You may need to replace the striker assembley and/or the trigger sear if they were filed down to decrease trigger pull. You would have no trouble doing this yourself.

These are very accurate and pleasant to fire in 7X57. They have taken game all over the world, including Africa with 175 grain bullets.

Your rifle is one of the converted ones imported by Samco Arms in Miami, Florida. It was originally in 7X57 Mauser and the 308 it is converted to is closer to the 7.62 NATO pressure than the modern .308 Win. In fact, until it is checked out and headspaced by a qualified gunsmith I'd be very careful about shooting it.

You're also going to have to fix that trigger /sear engagement problem to make the gun functional. You might try Numerich E-gun parts for replacements.

I have a 1916 Spanish Mauser in the original 7mm Mauser caliber that I got for under $20 back in 1967 right out of the Montgomery Wards catalog. It was in new condition and didn't appear to have ever been fired. All numbers are matching. The stock is a black turkish walnut. It's a sweet shooter.

Rjay - you've got me waltzin' down memory lane. Sears used to sell rifles and shotguns from the 'wish book' (catalog). They also carried used rifles for sale in the sales desks, if you knew to ask for them. My friend's dad bought a Russian 7.62X54R rifle for $10 that way in 1964. Woolworth's used to sell P13 and P17 Enfields ($75) and M1 Carbines ($125) and Garands ($250) as recently as 1985.

Rjay - you've got me waltzin' down memory lane. Sears used to sell rifles and shotguns from the 'wish book' (catalog). They also carried used rifles for sale in the sales desks, if you knew to ask for them. My friend's dad bought a Russian 7.62X54R rifle for $10 that way in 1964. Woolworth's used to sell P13 and P17 Enfields ($75) and M1 Carbines ($125) and Garands ($250) as recently as 1985.

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...........and don't forget that Western Auto also sold guns. I think "Revolution" was their store brand like J.C Higgins at Sears and Western Field at Wards.

I can also remember there being big barrels full of old mil-surp's. at Western Auto for under $20. Those were the good old days that went after the '68 GCA.

The original "Spanish Mausers" were cal. 7x57, with 1-8 rifling designed for a 172 grain bullet. They don't handle 140 grain bullets very accurately. The British called the cartridge the .275 Rigby. Karamojo Bell of african ivory fame took many elephants with this caliber. However he was an expert in elephany anatomy and knew exactly where to shoot effectivrly. Less knowledgeable people were trampled. I have two originals and they are very effective for deer and bear. 700 Spaniards armed with the 1893 7x57 gave 15,000 Americans a very hard time at San Juan Hill in Cuba.

The original "Spanish Mausers" were cal. 7x57, with 1-8 rifling designed for a 172 grain bullet. They don't handle 140 grain bullets very accurately. The British called the cartridge the .275 Rigby. Karamojo Bell of african ivory fame took many elephants with this caliber. However he was an expert in elephany anatomy and knew exactly where to shoot effectivrly. Less knowledgeable people were trampled. I have two originals and they are very effective for deer and bear. 700 Spaniards armed with the 1893 7x57 gave 15,000 Americans a very hard time at San Juan Hill in Cuba.

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................and as a result of the success of that rifle in the Spanish-American War the U.S. Army demanded a better rifle than their .30-40 Krags that were being issued at the time and the resulting new gun was the 1903 Springfield Rifle in .30-06 caliber. Except for the .30 caliber in the '03 Springfield vs the 7mm (.28caliber) in the Mauser the ammunition for the two rifles is very similar in performance.

In fact the two rifles were so similar that Springfield Armory ended up having to pay royalties to Mauser Werke for patent infringements.

If the rifles were converted from 7mm to .308 by using a new barrel or by reboring and re-rifling and setting the barrel back, things should be OK. But some of those conversions were done by drilling out the whole chamber area then installing a sleeve chambered for .308. That works, but I am "agin" it on general principles since there is a gap between the front of the sleeve and the front of the bored out area. Gas can get into that area and the result is not too good.

That was done on Chilean Mausers, I am not sure if it was done with Spanish Mausers as well. (See picture of sectioned barrel.)

Jim

Attached Files:

Samco is still in business over in Miami. If interested, you can contact them at the link on the bottom of the website home page and ask them about the method of conversion used. They have responded to my inquiries before.

Your rifle is one of the converted ones imported by Samco Arms in Miami, Florida. It was originally in 7X57 Mauser and the 308 it is converted to is closer to the 7.62 NATO pressure than the modern .308 Win. In fact, until it is checked out and headspaced by a qualified gunsmith I'd be very careful about shooting it.

You're also going to have to fix that trigger /sear engagement problem to make the gun functional. You might try Numerich E-gun parts for replacements.

I have a 1916 Spanish Mauser in the original 7mm Mauser caliber that I got for under $20 back in 1967 right out of the Montgomery Wards catalog. It was in new condition and didn't appear to have ever been fired. All numbers are matching. The stock is a black turkish walnut. It's a sweet shooter.

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Ummmm. Wow, that's a beauty, regardless of how much, or little, it cost, that has got to be the nicest example I've seen of that rifle, not ANY kind of expert on them, in fact know very little about this rifle, but man, that really looks like it just came out of the box fresh from the store, I'm sure it makes you smile just to handle it,

Ummmm. Wow, that's a beauty, regardless of how much, or little, it cost, that has got to be the nicest example I've seen of that rifle, not ANY kind of expert on them, in fact know very little about this rifle, but man, that really looks like it just came out of the box fresh from the store, I'm sure it makes you smile just to handle it,

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Thanks 1 Eyed, I was very surprised when I opened the box from Wards and found an almost new condition Spanish Mauser inside. They marketed it as a short '93 Mauser, which I thought would be cool. I've been pleased to own it for all the years. Standard mil-surp. and commercial 7X57 ammunition shoots well in it. The ammo shown in the pictures on stripper clips is '70's era Belgian (FN) stuff with a 140 grain FMJ. It's dirty & Berden primed, but Samco was selling it dirt cheap when I got it.

My Dad bought one of the "standard" '93 Mausers from Wards at the same time I got mine and what he got was a standard used long Argentinian Mauser typical of the period. It was in good shape and has performed well over the years of use, but certainly was not the cherry that I got. My Dad's rifle is in 7X57 caliber as well.

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